‘Stranger Things 2’ comes back with nostalgic DVD packaging

John Gillispie shares his thoughts on the Netflix series "Stranger Things 2," which is rated TV-14 and is available on DVD in special packaging designed to look like a videocassette.

Movies & More reviewer John Gillispie shares his thoughts on the Netflix series “Stranger Things 2,” which is rated TV-14 and is available on DVD in special packaging designed to look like a videocassette.

It didn’t take long for me to watch all nine episodes of “Stranger Things 2” after the DVDs were unwrapped on Christmas Eve since many of the episodes are so compelling you can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment.

Set in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the 1980s, “Stranger Things 2” stars Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, whose young son Will (Noah Schnapp) may be home from the dimension called “the upside down,” but things may not be back to normal.

Of course, soon it is clear that a serious threat is being posed to the residents of Hawkins and the rest of the world.

Police Chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) is trying to keep Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) safe at an isolated cabin, but the young girl with amazing powers misses her friends, especially Mike (Finn Wolfhard). She ventures into town and becomes upset to see another girl talking to Mike.

That other girl is Max (Sadie Sink) and both Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) have crushes on her.

The research facility that was less than helpful in the first season seems more willing to work with Chief Hopper and Joyce this season after Joyce questions the initial assessments of Will by Dr. Sam Owens (Paul Reiser). Sean Astin has an important role as Joyce’s boyfriend and good guy Bob.

The final moments of this second season are especially charming as the child stars of this series get to portray kids at a middle school dance. However, the second season ends with a warning that danger still appears to await the residents of Hawkins, Indiana.

John Gillispie is the public relations director for the Huntington Museum of Art.